This year. Having near omniscience about recent events would have so many useful applications.
Depending on the timing of when this ability takes affect, I might be able to also place wagers on events, like awards shows, that have already been decided but not yet announced.
OP’s rules were “You can skip around in time and space within your chosen year, but not affect anything.” So you couldn’t go back in time to place wagers to collect today. Your changes in the past would not affect the present.
Some events, like the cited example of award shows, have their outcomes decided on before they are announced. If I gain this ability after that the decision is made but before the outcome is announced, then I could place a wager on it now without impacting anything in the past. This is where the “depending on the timing” qualifier comes into play and why I said “already decided but not yet announced”.
The only way I can think of arguing against this is that OPs words were “not affect anything” (emphasis mine). OP does not state that you can’t have an effect specifically on the past. OP says you can’t affect anything.
You would be using knowledge you didn’t have to affect your future.
OP’s rules were “You can skip around in time and space within your chosen year, but not affect anything.” So you couldn’t go back in time to place wagers to collect today. Your changes in the past would not affect the present.
Maybe I want clear enough, so allow me to expand.
Some events, like the cited example of award shows, have their outcomes decided on before they are announced. If I gain this ability after that the decision is made but before the outcome is announced, then I could place a wager on it now without impacting anything in the past. This is where the “depending on the timing” qualifier comes into play and why I said “already decided but not yet announced”.
The only way I can think of arguing against this is that OPs words were “not affect anything” (emphasis mine). OP does not state that you can’t have an effect specifically on the past. OP says you can’t affect anything.
You would be using knowledge you didn’t have to affect your future.